"Some of those conversations go weird. I was sitting down with one of the directors. In the middle of the conversation, he says, 'So do you have a brother? I went to high school with someone named blah blah blah,' and they said my dead name. I'm like, 'That's me.' And they're like, 'Whoa, what?'"
"It happens all the time. I'm honored by it, but at the same time, it does turn into some really weird and uncomfortable conversations, especially with some of my old Christian friends who then try to save my soul and tell me that I'm living in sin."
"My Rolodex is very evangelical. They said, 'You need to run for something.' I wasn't quite sure what that would be. It wasn't on my bingo card to run."
"In the winter of 2022, I was forced to resign from my job as a pastor at one of Michigan's largest megachurches."
Joanna Whaley, a former pastor, transitioned four years ago and now runs for Michigan state representative. She encounters awkward situations with old friends unaware of her transition and has been mistaken for her brother. Whaley's past includes enduring conversion therapy for 15 years. After publicly transitioning at 34, she began advocating for queer rights in affirming faith spaces. Her journey from evangelical leader to political candidate is marked by her commitment to social issues and the complexities of her past relationships.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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